If there is not a war on, it's a bad job for you

"If you leave people as you found them, God is not speaking by you.
If you are not making people mad or glad, there is something amiss with your
ministry. If there is not a war on, it's a bad job for you." (Smith Wiggleswworth 1859-1947)

Mr. Wigglesworth must be my favorite of all the patriarchs that I've studied. A general in the Lord's army, and a faithful example in the Body of Christ.

In this mans ministry there were miracles, people raised from the dead, I believe 16 times, including his own wife, people falling under conviction of the Holy Spirit...unto salvation, with only his presence. He moved and lived and had his being in the Lord. He would not go more than 15 minutes without consuming some portion of God's Word and carried a Bible with him wherever he went.

He was not moved by man fear, He LOVED God and put Him FIST in his life. Did not live in any way that would be a reproach to the Lord.

He said, ".....If there is not a war on, it's a bad job for you." He knew that anything that we are faced with, tormented by, that brings oppression, disease, sickness, anything that is stealing, killing or destroying in our or anyone elses life is authored by satan. He knew that if ANYONE is going to be delivered or set free, healed, etc....it was going, and is STILL going to take warfare. Warfare against the author of such things.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luke 10:19

"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mark 16:1`7, 18

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John 15:5-8

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
John 14:12

So are we?

Are we abiding in the vine, doing the works that the Lord commissioned us to, while we are OCCUPYING in this planet? This is a war zone, we're to be occupying here as His ambassadors.

"If you leave people as you found them, God is not speaking by you.
Are we leaving people as we find them? Are we making a difference, in the lives of people, for the Kingdom of God?

If you are not making people mad or glad, there is something amiss with your ministry.
If we are addressing the issues we know and see in our own lives and those we come in contact with...recognize them as being authored from the stealer, killer and destroyer, it will either make the devil MAD, or make the folks GLAD that there's HELP on the way.

If there is not a war on, it's a bad job for you."
If we are not geared up, suited out in the armor that the Lord provided for us, to make a difference wherever we go, then we're not carrying out the very specific orders from our Commander and Chief.

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Father, I ask You to HELP US to be, in this life, what you have called us to be. HELP US to walk and live and move and have our being IN YOU, the VINE. I ask You to help us with Holy Ghost Boldness, with the confidence that we have in Your Word. You've let us to know that we are to OCCUPY until You come for us. We are in a war zone, and we're to OCCUPY. In Jesus' Name.

The Dream

The following article, The Dream, was retrieved from the May 2010 edition of The Revival Call, published by the End Time Handmaidens and Servants International. Their site can be found by clicking the link, or, if you wish: http://www.eth-s.org/

I am using it by permission. This speaks of events that we read of in Revelation, the end time, and part of what we are to expect to take place.

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The Dream
by Michael Moldea, the grandson of Dumitru Duduman, the Lord's messenger to America from Romania. Brother Dumitru has gone home to be with the Lord, but his grandson carries his prophetic mantle - Editor

I Thessalonians 5:4-6, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober."

I Thessalonians 5:8, "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation."

I had a dream last night, and if not for the specific instruction to share what I saw, I would have preferred to keep it to myself. I had gone to bed late, having waited for my wife to get home from work. After seeing that she had arrived home safely, and saying my prayers, I fell into a restful sleep. I dreamt that I was sleeping, when a hand touched my shoulder, and a voice I recognized said, "wake up." In my dream I opened my eyes, and my breath caught in my throat as I saw who had awakened me. It was the same messenger, the angel I had seen on previous occasions, dressed in full battle armor, standing by the side of my bed.

"Take my hand" he said, "I have been sent to show you something."

I barely touched the hand that was extended toward me, when my bed and my bedroom evaporated, and I found myself standing before a white oblong building, that looked a lot like a barn or a horse stable. Two large doors made up the front of the structure, and as I looked they began to swing open.

I knew wherever I was, it was not of this earth, because everything shone, everything was white, pristine, immaculate. I also knew that whatever the season was for being shown this, was about to be revealed, so I stood in silence, holding the messenger's hand.

As soon as the doors were fully open, I saw an angel that looked very much like the one standing beside me, except without the armor, leading a white horse by its reins. The horse was large and muscular, but he followed the angel obediently, with its head bent low. The angel's coundenance was somber as he led the horse away, and for some reason this registered with great clarity.

I looked up to the messenger whose hand I will still holding, but he merely nodded toward the white building and the open doors, and said, "witness."

Another angel soon appeared in the doorway, holding the reins of a red horse, following after the first. I began to realize what I was seeing, and in silence watched as two more angels appeared, each holding the reins of a horse, one black, one of no discernable color, just pale. All four angels were dressed alike, and had the same somber, sorrowful countenance.

I stood and watched as all four horses were led out of my sight, and finally when they had disappeared from view, the messenger turned to me and said: "Go and tell what you have seen. The riders prepare, the horses are ready, and soon they will descend, soon they will be loosed. Remember what you have witnessed, and do not hold back a single word. Soon they descend on wings of fury: soon turmoil will shake earth's very foundation. Prepare yourself, for many will fall and few will stand. Fulfillment is at hand, go and speak what you have seen, and what you have heard. The Kingdom awaits the righteous, the holy will soon see the Lord."

I only realized I was still holding his hand when he let go of mine, and suddenly I was back in my bed, sitting up, fully awake. I am still unsure whether or not it was a dream, or if "dream" is the right word for it, but for simplicity's sake I will call it a dream.

I tried to go back to sleep but could not, vividly remembering the sorrowful look on the faces of the angels who where leading the horses out of the stables.

It seems the world is seeing what the church is refusing to acknowledge, the fact that we are on the cusp of great upheaval not only in this nation, but also throughout the world. These are the days of which the prophets spoke, the days of which Christ warned, the time of distress, of sifting and of separation.

My prayer is that we remember always, our hope is in the Lord, and He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. If one word stands out from this entire dream, it is the word "prepare" and we must do so with diligence. The children of God must steel themselves for what is coming, prepare their hearts and settle within their souls that the day in which we will have to stand for truth is soon approaching.

I Thessalonians 5:23, 24, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."

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Father, HELP US to prepare ourselves, and to stay strong every day of our lives. In Jesus' Name.

The Closing of the Gates of Grace

The following article was retrieved from the May 2010 edition of The Revival Call, published by the End Time Handmaidens and Servants International. Their site can be found by clicking the link, or, if you wish: http://www.eth-s.org/

I am using it by permission.

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The Closing of the Gates of Grace
by Maurice Skylar
March 30, 2009

The Holy Spirit gave me a vision. I saw two massive gate doors -- both on the right and the left of the earth. They were made out of gold with precious gems embedded in them. They were positioned over the earth in the spirit realms. On the other side of the gates was Heaven. On our side of the gates was the earth suspended in space. Then I saw a mighty angel on each side of the two gates. They were standing as sentries guarding the doorway or portal from the two realms. They each had a large sword in their hands that was on fire and it seemed to spin around perpetually in every direction and it shot these flames out all around them. I was amazed and awed at their glory and size. They seemed as large as the earth below them. The gates were even larger in size than they were! Both the angels and the gates were glowing as bright as the sun, it seemed. On the heavenly side -- light was streaming like a river flowing toward the earth. As I looked into the glorious light, I saw the Lord sitting on His thrown in great majesty with many crowns on His head. He had an iron/bronze-looking scepter in his right hand and an old-fashioned-looking harvesting sickle in the other.

Suddenly, I heard His voice. It sounded like a roaring ocean of water and wind as He spoke. I have never heard such a sound before. He said, "The time has come to close the gates of grace upon the earth. The nations have rejected Me and My Father long enough. Lift the coverings of protection off of those nations that have chosen Babylon over my Kingdom. I will no longer protect them from reaping what they have sown."

Then the two angels on each side of the golden gate leaves began to move slowly to shut the giant doorway/portal. I noticed that this was a slow process, because I saw the seasons change on earth and some years pass before it was fully closed. As it was closing, I was able to look closer at the river of light that was pouring upon the earth. In it was every blessing and healing grace, forgiveness, unconditional agape love, and the constant flow of angels carrying all these wonderful blessings to the earth.

Right before the gates shut, I heard the Voice of the Lord say, "Come up here, my Bride, and escape the wrath that is about to be poured out upon the earth."

I heard a nearly deafeningly loud blast of heavenly trumpets from both those angels at the same time, and suddenly, I saw multitudes of souls -- millions and millions of them -- ascending out of the earth very fast in a flash of light. The river of light coming through the gates met them in the upper atmosphere of the earth and then reversed itself and all the souls and the river of light went back up out of the earth and into the closing gates back into Heaven.

Then I saw the gates finish shutting completely -- at a much faster rate now after the souls from earth had finished going into Heaven. Then, it became so dark that I could no longer see the stars even. There was no more river of light flowing down upon the earth. The earth was covered in what looked like white neon hexagon shapes in a web above the earth (please see my teaching "Visions from the Dallas Revival 1985" on my website www.mauriceskylar.com). It rapidly became opaque where I could no longer see the earth underneath. I just saw a brownish looking color -- like a stagnant pond -- where the oceans and land could be seen only a few moments before. Then nearly just as fast, the whole earth seemed to be swallowed up in the thickest black darkness I had ever seen. It was like a black hole in the universe. It made the rest of the universe look light in comparison, if I could describe it that way.

I felt so sick and hopeless as I saw this. Then, just like I had heard back in the vision in 1985, I began hearing the screams of millions upon millions of souls that I knew were trapped in that darkness below in the earth. The Holy Spirit then spoke to me and said, "This is now coming upon the whole earth as a snare and a trap. This is what the nations have chosen. As they have done, so shall, it be done to them. As they have cursed, so shall they be cursed. As they have condemned, so shall they be condemned. The time of My wrath shall surely come. The nations shall drink of the wine of the wrath of My cup that I have mixed for them. Woe! Woe! Woe to the earth for the hour of her judgment has surely come! Babylon shall now fall and be consumed by the fire of my wrath."

Then I realized that these were still events to come in the future. But I also somehow knew that it was imminent. Once again, I saw the doors of the gates of grace still remained partially open. I knew that this was our present time now. I was so relieved to see the river of light flowing into the earth again. But, the doors were closing fast! They weren't fully opened as they were even a few years ago. I knew that we didn't have much more time. The Lord spoke again so loudly and powerfully:

"Warn them! Time is very short! You must preach the gospel and work while it is still daylight. The night comes very soon, and no man can then harvest in the time of grace ever again. The doors of grace are beginning to close. REPENT! REPENT! REPENT, O Earth, before the river of light stops flowing! Then you will face Me, not as Merciful Savior, but as the Judge of all the earth. Who will hear and heed the final call of the silver trumpet's clarion of Grace, Grace! My Spirit will not strive with sinful man forever. Come to Me now while there is still a little time left. I am coming soon for My overcoming Bride. Keep your lamps burning. Watch and Pray.....I AM AT THE DOORS OF GRACE! They are closing quickly....Come into my ark of safety....come into the Bridal chamber and the doors will SHUT....I AM COMING FOR YOU, MY BELOVED.

I pray that we all take heed to God's prophetic warning and be ready when he appears for His glorious, waiting Bride.

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Father, I ask You to HELP US to heed your call, to listen and do, to obey in all that we know to do. HELP US to ready ourselves and stay ready for Your CALL. We know that there are 10 virgins spoken of in Your Word. Five foolish........ and the five wise, that kept themselves prepared and left with her Bridegoom when He came for Her. I CHOOSE to be one of the five wise virgins, watching and waiting for You to send Your Son to retrieve us. In Jesus' Name.

It Is Time to Get Ready for the Rapture

The following article was retrieved from the May 2010 edition of The Revival Call, published by the End Time Handmaidens and Servants International. Their site can be found by clicking the link, or, if you wish: http://www.eth-s.org/

It is authored by Sister Gwen Shaw, and I am using it by permission.

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"Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" Matthew 24:44

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" Revelation 19:7

As we hear the news of what is happening in our country, and all around the world, we must admit that we have come to the end of the Days of Grace. Everything is winding up so fast, it is mind-boggling --, and we don't know the half. We have but a small inkling of what is happening "behind the scenes," at the end of runways, in the dead of night, in closet meetings of the "elect" of Lucifer.

As I read the book of Revelation, I feel as though I am reading today's newspaper. And then, as I turn to the writings of the prophets that foretold the day in which we are now living, and read that the nations of the world (including America) "after many days...in the latter years, thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations [the return of the Diaspora] ... Thou shalt ascent [rise up], and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands [armies]...with thee... to take a spoil, and to take a prey..." Ezekiel 38:8-9, 12. I know I am reading about what Jesus referred to when He prophesied, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them wich are in Judea flee to the mountains...For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" Luke 21:20-22. Read these chapters prayerfully. Let the Holy Spirit teach you. He will show you God's calendar. Everything is on God's calendar. Everything is on God's schedule. Don't pray it away! Only pray for grace to be faithful to the end.

You ask, "How soon will this be?"

The words of Jesus clearly answer this question; "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, [this was fulfilled when Jerusalem fell to the Roman General Titus in 70 A.D.] and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" Luke 21:24. Then Jesus explained even more clearly in Luke 21:32, "Verily, I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled."

On May 14, 1948 Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion proclaimed to the world, "ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ERETZ-ISRAEL AND THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL AND, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL AND HISTORIC RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEREBY DELCARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL."

People who were alive then are still living today. I remember that day very well. I was in Lanchow, Northwest China, when I heard the news, and rejoiced. It is my generation that will see all these prophecies fulfilled. Even quite a few of the survivors of the Nazi Holocaust are still living today. I know some; I have met them, talked with them, laughed, and cried with them. They are real people like you and me!

Jesus clearly said that "when the fig tree" and all the trees, shoot forth, you know that summer is near," Israel is that "fig tree." It "shot forth" i.e. became a nation, in our generation. Israel is God's time-clock. Watch Israel! Watch what the nations do to Israel! Watch how the leaders and rulers of the world treat Israel, and her leaders. Watch how they turn against her - and know the Son of Man is soon to appear.

You say, "How does that concern me; I am not a Jew, and I don't live in Jerusalem?"

But it does concern you, if you are a Christian. Jesus clearly said, "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth night" Luke 21:27-28

Jesus warned us how to live when He exhorted us, "....Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares" Luke 21:34 He warned that a "snare" would come on all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

And then, He gave us that ONE route of escape (not to Petra, or the Judean Hills), but being ready for our Wedding Day! Jesus gives His Bride a ray of hope in the same chapter of terrible suffering when He says, "Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" Luke 21:36 Only the Bride has been promised this "escape route."

I like the way the Message Bible interprets these last days, "It will seem like all hell has broken loose -sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar, and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the thread of doom, the powers-that-be quakaing....Be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complets surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. "Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through anything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man."

The "Days of the Gentiles" are over. The next thing on God's Calendar is happening so quickly, we hardly have time to get ready. Watch and pray! The Days of Testing are upon us. Small decisions you make today can determine where you will spend Eternity.

We will, no doubt, experience some of The Great End-Time Tribulation, for Daniel says, "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end..." Daniel 11:35. It will be an honour to go through the firey trials, because God only gives this to the few privileged saints whom He can trust for promotion into the Bridal Company. Accept your trials without complaining, that you may receive your Bridal Crown that fadeth not away.

In closing, I must bring us back to one of my opening scriptures, Revelation 19:7, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

Our Bridegroom will be wearing a vesture, "dipped in Blood" verse 13. His bride will be wearing fine linen (revealing her works and deeds of love for Him and others) made white and clean because they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb" Revelation 7:14.

Behold! The Bridegroom Cometh. Go ye out to meet Him!

Sister Gwen

A WORD FOR THOSE WHO FEEL LIKE QUITTING

A WORD FOR THOSE WHO FEEL LIKE QUITTING
by Carter Conlon

If you feel like quitting, this word is for you. Beloved, you are so close to something in God—so close to the victory that your heart has longed for.
This is not the time to quit!

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf” (2 Corinthians 1:8–11 ).

Paul was saying, “I don’t want you to be ignorant of this. We were on a divine commission from the Lord to bring life and liberty to people who needed to know there is a Savior.

When we were involved in this, trouble came against us so suddenly and powerfully that we could not stand against it.”

“…pressed out of measure…” ( 2 Corinthians 1:8) means the opposition was stronger than any resistance they could find within themselves. They didn’t know how to handle it, which eventually brought them to a point where dying looked better than living. Have you ever reached that place?

Many people today can probably testify, “When I first came to Christ, I had such optimism. Things around me were changing for the better, and the future appeared to be full of great promise. I was given a new heart, a new mind, a new spirit. But suddenly, without warning, things seemed to grow dark— circumstances changed, and
threatening voices from without and within grew so loud that I could hardly hear the promises of God. Now I am afraid to go on. I can hardly see hope ahead of me anymore.”

Sudden Opposition

It is not uncommon to suddenly and inexplicably face violent opposition while serving Christ. However, it is important to remember that in reality, none of it can conquer you, no matter how it looks. It is like walking through a dark alley and being surrounded by vicious junkyard dogs—yet their chains stop them just short of being able to hurt you.

The devil’s whole tactic is to convince you that the evil around you is going
to overpower you. However, he really has no power to stop the work of God
in your life, for he was defeated on Calvary. His reign, the law of sin and death, and all the power that he had was cancelled on Calvary. There is nothing he can do but stand on the shores and watch the people of God go through the seas of impossibility into every promise given in Christ Jesus. The only potential power the devil has is when we fall into agreement with his reasoning and embrace his threats. “I don’t think I will ever change. I don’t think I can make it.”

In contrast, consider the words of Paul: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
(Romans 8:31–32). Only someone who has come through everything that we must face today could write such words. Paul had to get to the point of understanding that these things were more powerful than he could ever hope to be. His only recourse was quitting and he finally realized that his only help was in God.

“As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, not angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:36–39). I am persuaded! It is easy to be persuaded when you’re on the mountaintop, but being persuaded down in the valley is where you find the difference.

A Season of Miracles

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with
tongues, and prophesied…. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul” (Acts 19:5–6, 10–11). For at least two years in Ephesus, Paul had experienced unimpeded preaching and miracles. People were receiving the Word of God in unprecedented measure and Scripture says that even handkerchiefs were taken from Paul and placed on people who were deathly ill, and they were healed.

“And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious (magical) arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand
pieces of silver” (Acts 19:18–19). There was no religious deception here—people were honest with God and put away their evil practices. They came to an understanding of the depth of Christ on Calvary—the depth of the forgiveness that was bought there. It was an incredible revival!

I think most of us would have been happy to live during that time—to see the things that Paul and those who ministered with him saw. However, it soon became evident that
it was time to move on. “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that
ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season” (Acts 19:21–22). After sending Timothy and Erastus on, I believe Paul took just a moment to relax and reflect on all the wonders God had done. Have you ever done that? Have you ever just put your feet up and thought about all the miracles that have happened in your life since you became a Christian? We can picture Paul doing that here—just sitting back for a bit to savor the moment.

Then the next day, all hell broke out! Most commentators agree that this season was what Paul was referring to when he spoke the words of our opening text— “…pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life…” (2 Corinthians 1:8). A local silversmith began to stir up the other idol makers whose trade was in danger due to Paul’s preaching, and they all became infuriated (their profit margin was being affected). It grew into an uproar in the arena, and the people shouted for two hours straight, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” Can you imagine being a Christian in the midst of that cacophony—a roar of voices trying to
shout down the Word, claiming that something else is greater than the God that you serve?

But that is the tactic of the devil. He was trying to convince Paul and his associates that there was a power greater than the God they were walking with, the one who had begun to manifest His glory. This uproar lasted for quite a while, and Paul was in the midst of it. We don’t have all the details, we just know that it was violent and that society had suddenly turned. The turning point seemed to have been when their god of gold was touched—their god of income and prosperity. At that time this great revival turned inward and turned against the believers.

Similarly, you and I are going to experience opposition from a kingdom that is being overthrown by the presence of God in us. We may know victory for a season, but keep
in mind that we are standing for God in a world that is against the ways of God—a world filled with people who, in their own ignorance, are opposing their own salvation. Some of you go to a workplace where those around you tolerate the fact that you are a Christian, and some may even be interested in what you say. That is, until it begins to affect their livelihood—because you are walking honestly while they are not. Then suddenly all hell begins to break out around you.

This world will profess tolerance toward us until their sense of wellbeing comes into question—until they realize the church is a force in the nation. Then we will find ourselves in the midst of this incredible war, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!
Great is Dow Jones of the United States of America! Great are our corporations and our image of ourselves!”

Encourage Yourself in the Lord

I don’t know what you are facing today or what kind of voice is coming against you, but I do know that you do not have to be overcome by it. You are not walking in a kingdom made by the hands of men but rather fashioned by the hand of God Himself. After the apostles witnessed Jesus feed the multitudes with the loaves and fishes, they got into their boat to cross to the other side. Suddenly a violent storm arose and it seemed the elements themselves were trying to throw off the testimony of what
Christ had just done. Why did that storm come? The enemy knows that the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ is something he must oppose with everything he has.

This was not a chance storm in the apostles’ day and this same storm will come against every believer today. If you find yourself losing strength in a storm, you are a partaker of what others before you have gone through. Search the Scriptures and you will see that those who walked with God ended up facing all types of opposition. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions and Elijah had to flee from a wicked king. King David, mighty king of Israel, had a great anointing on his life and had won many victories in battle. Yet suddenly he found himself completely alone—the only ones who came near were those who were against him. But he did what you and
I need to do in such seasons—he encouraged himself in the Lord.

You must go back in your mind and remember how good God has been to you. David remembered how God’s anointing had come upon him. He remembered victories in his life— fighting the lion and the bear and running into the valley to face Goliath.
He also remembered picking up his harp and singing to King Saul, binding the devil so that he was no longer able to torment him. David thought about these things and encouraged himself in the Lord.

David went into the closet of prayer, and God showed him a way through. That is why he could write, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4 ). God was saying, “I am not going to take you out immediately; I am going to take you through. I am going to show you where strength is.” With his few men, David pursued what was lost, and although the odds were overwhelmingly against him, everything was restored—“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit…” (Zechariah 4:6). David concluded, “I will not get through this by reasoning or by figuring a way over or around. I will get through it just the way I started—by the supernatural power of Almighty God.”

When you get to the end, you will have a song, but that song will not be about how you figured it all out. That song will be, “Jesus took me through, Jesus saved me, Jesus carried me, Jesus walked with me, Jesus defeated my enemies, Jesus took me over the finish line.” You are more than a conqueror! There is no prison door that can hold you. There is no roaring voice that can drown out the voice of Almighty God, and no plan of hell formed against you can prosper. You are a child of God, and Jesus said, “I am taking you through to the other side.” Hallelujah!

Because of Prayer

Look again at Paul’s words: “…he will continue to deliver us. He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people’s prayers for our safety have been answered” (2 Corinthians 1:10–11, NLT). Paul acknowledged that God would rescue them because people prayed, and as a result many would give thanks to God. I believe one of the greatest victories we will know in our time is simply the awareness that we are not walking this journey alone. It is not just about me, and it is not just about you, it is about the whole body of Christ. We spend so much of our time praying for ourselves, don’t we? “Lord, help me; Lord, bless me; Lord, keep me; Lord, why me?” But the Lord says, “Would you let Me expand your thinking a little bit?” As you pray for those presently going through a tough season, when God brings them through, they will pray for you when your time comes. Then there will be great rejoicing, and many will give
thanks to God.

How are we going to get through the days ahead? How are we even going to get through the present time? We will get through because we are going to pray and believe the promises of God. We will get through because we are moving together as a body—nobody will be left behind. That was the cry of Moses, “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go… Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind” (Exodus 10:9, 26). As the church—the Bride of Christ—we are going to make it to the other side. We are heading out of here—going home!

Today you may feel “pressed out of measure, above strength,” as Paul wrote. People are facing serious battles. Some have lost children; some don’t know where their next meal is coming from; some are fighting for their sanity; marriages are falling
apart. I want you to know that we are standing with you—you are not alone. We are praying for God’s grace and strength to be yours. You are not going to be overwhelmed; you are not going to go down—we are fighting this together, and we will walk in the victory Jesus has already secured for us. Hallelujah!

Carter Conlon
©2010 Times Square Church

This article is used by permission.